Stand against bullying: Your Say

4:55 p.m. MST March 24, 2014

Grayson Bruce, 9, brought this backpack to school earlier this month as his lunchbox. Grayson's mom said he was bullied so severely he refused to go into school.(Photo: Provided to The Asheville, N.C., Citizen-Times)

A North Carolina school will let a 9-year-old boy bring his "My Little Pony" backpack to school. It had banned the bag because it triggered bullying. Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

School administrators over-reacted. If proper anti-bullying programs were in place, this boy's backpack should not have even been an issue.

— Catherine Switzer

Freedom of speech comes with responsibility. You can be different, but you also have to realize that everyone else also has an opinion. You might not like it, but others can express their thoughts and opinions on your choice of style.

— John Spencer

This is not a story about being bullied. This is a story about school administrators siding with the bullies, then caving in due to pressure.

What the school administrators are too cowardly to admit is that stopping this kid from bringing in the backpack would have achieved nothing. Bullies bully. If it's not the backpack, they will find something else. Bullies bully until they are stopped.

— Dave Cawdell

He absolutely has a right to wear whatever design of backpack he chooses. However, other students have the right to ridicule him. If you think you're going to persuade 9-year-olds to be tolerant of a boy with a girl's backpack, you're wrong.

— Benjamin Berlinsky

He has a right to bring any backpack he wants and to like any cartoon. I would be very upset if my child were one of the kids bullying this little boy. Parents need to step up!